Dear
Parents,
Each
year I am reminded by our UN Day celebration of the possibility of peace in the
world.
The
children in our school come from more than 30 different countries. They learn,
work and play together every day. They came together on Wednesday for the flag
procession that showed us that it is possible for a widely diverse group of
people to come together and work in harmony for a common purpose. It gives me
hope that someday we might see all of humanity doing the same.
We
inaugurated our new theater this week with music and a lesson in how the UN
operates. Our high school choir and band performed and sounded great in this
incredible space. Our Model UN students then gave us a demonstration of how
resolutions are presented, debated and decided upon, including a veto by a
permanent member of the Security Council. It was an outstanding learning
opportunity for us all.
Skyward gradebook access – Access was reopened yesterday.
Students and parents can view Quarter 1 grades by clicking on “Q1” at the top
of the gradebook column.
Report Cards – Quarter 1 report cards were
distributed at the end of the school day yesterday. They can also be viewed on
Skyward. I encourage you to take some time to discuss your child’s progress. It
is a good time to celebrate on successes and recognize the challenges. The
following simple questions provide a good framework for a discussion and the
opportunity to set goals for the semester.
Ø What
did you do well?
Ø What
did you not do well?
Ø What
can you do to improve in your challenging areas?
Use
these questions to discuss your child’s progress in each class and set goals.
Setting reasonable and attainable goals will lead to success, and nothing
breeds success like success.
Student-Parent-Teacher
Conferences –
Parent-teacher conferences are a good opportunity for parents and students to
meet with teachers to discuss the student’s progress in his or her courses. This
is the time to discuss how your child is performing and ways we can work
together to increase their success. This is especially important if your
child is not doing as well as they would like. There are always ways we
can help them improve.
The
first of these conferences for the 2012-2013 school year are scheduled for
Thursday, November 1 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and on Friday, November 2 from 8:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This year we will again be using an online system to schedule
conference appointments with teachers. Information on the process was sent home
via email earlier this week. This information can also be viewed in the
sidebar. Please note that all conferences will be held in the Gym this time.
CHEMUN is coming! See the report from the Model UN
club in the sidebar.
Calling all parents
and middle/high school students. Do you want to
learn how to knit or learn more advanced techniques? On Monday 29 October, we
are starting a new club called Natty Knitters. Please check
out the message in the sidebar for details and come along. No official
registration needed. Please note: this includes parents who want to learn
too and anyone else who would like to share their expertise in knitting.
Departing students – Each year some of our students
leave the school during the school year, often at the mid-year break. Records
from AISC are usually required by the next school. However, it takes us some
time to prepare these records. If you will be leaving the school, please
contact Ms. Priya Sarath in the Counseling Office at least two weeks prior to
your departure so we can prepare the necessary documents to make your
transition as smooth as possible.
Please
note that for students leaving school at the Winter Break, we will be able to
provide all required documentation, including official report cards for Quarter
1. However, report cards and transcripts showing the Quarter 2 and Semester
grades will not be available until January. We will be happy to forward these
to you at your next destination.
Have
a very pleasant weekend.
John McCandless
High School Principal
